The present invention relates to apparatus for smoking food, and more particularly to a wood chip smoker adapted for outdoor grills.
Users of gas grills cannot create food with the desired taste and smoke characteristics delivered from dedicated wood burning smokers using existing smoke boxes, containers and other methods commonly found on the market, cook books or internet.
Smoke boxes are generally comprised of a box or container to hold water soaked wood chips with a lid with holes that allow for smoke to dissipate or pouches constructed of aluminum foil with holes punched in the pouch. These smoke boxes or containers are typically placed on the grill near or in contact with the burner flame or on hot coals. The process for generating smoke in these devices begins by heating the wood chips and vaporizing the water in the wet/saturated wood chips. This process essentially creates a high humidity environment in the grill which essentially steam cooks the food and does not create the desired taste of smoke in food during the initial stages of the cooking process.
After the initial steam induction phase the wood chips in a conventional smoke box or container begin to char as the volatile components of the wood vaporize. This imparts some flavor but not the desired smoke accents and smoke rings delivered from a wood burning dedicated smoker. Conventional smoke boxes require high heat generated by the barbeque device or placement directly on the flame or coals to maintain smoldering and some smoke. This limits the ability to regulate heat and cook at low temperatures for extended times. Conventional smoke boxes will combust wood chips in flames and limit the smoke production if the moisture level and heat are not correctly balanced leading to limited to no smoke. Conventional smoker boxes require a period of time to begin the smoke process. This creates a lag period of no smoke or extended warm-up periods during the start of cooking and during refills. Due to the limitations of conventional smoke boxes, containers and methods described above, their ability to impart smoke taste and smoke rings in food comparable to that achieved in dedicated wood burning smokers is limited.
The smoke process can be extinguished by removal of the heat source especially early in the process where the wood is wet from water soaking or not in the combustion phase. Conventional smoke boxes do not allow for controlling smoke quality or output. Wood from different species placed in a conventional smoke box will generate smoke that is commingled during the smoking process and will not allow for a separation of different wood species smoke flavor characteristics. Smoke time with conventional smoke boxes is generally a short period of time relative to the extended cook time required for some cuts of meat which limits the desired smoke characteristics and textures in meat needing extended cooking times. As can be seen, there is a need for a device to convert outdoor grills into smokers.